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our poverty； for； after all； we have never asked you for anything； and
we pay our rent punctually； and as for the 'dot；' Monsieur Felix
Phellion is quite ready to take Celeste with no more than a bank…
messenger could carry in his BAG。〃
And she emphasized the last word by her way of pronouncing it。
〃Ha！ so you too are going to meddle in this； are you？〃 cried Brigitte。
〃Very good； go and fetch him； your Felix。 I know； my little woman；
that this marriage has never suited you； it IS disagreeable to be
nothing more than a mother to your son…in…law。〃
Flavie had recovered the coolness she had lost for an instant； and
without replying to this speech she merely shrugged her shoulders。
At this moment Thuillier returned； his air of beatitude had deserted
him。
〃My dear Brigitte；〃 he said to his sister； 〃you have a most excellent
heart； but at times you are so violent〃
〃Ho！〃 said the old maid； 〃am I to be arraigned on this side too？〃
〃I certainly do not blame you for the cause of the trouble； and I have
just rebuked Celeste for her assumption； but there are proper forms
that must be kept。〃
〃Forms！ what are you talking about？ What forms have I neglected？〃
〃But； my dear friend； to raise your hand against your sister！〃
〃I； raise my hand against that imbecile？ What nonsense you talk！〃
〃And besides；〃 continued Thuillier； 〃a woman of Celeste's age can't be
kept in prison。〃
〃Your wife！have I put her in prison？〃
〃You can't deny it； for I found the door of her room double…locked。〃
〃Parbleu！ all this because in my anger at the infamous things she was
spitting at me I may have turned the key of the door without intending
it。〃
〃Come； come；〃 said Thuillier； 〃these are not proper actions for people
of our class。〃
〃Oh！ so it is I who am to blame； is it？ Well； my lad； some day you'll
remember this； and we shall see how your household will get along when
I have stopped taking care of it。〃
〃You'll always take care of it；〃 said Thuillier。 〃Housekeeping is your
very life； you will be the first to get over this affair。〃
〃We'll see about that；〃 said Brigitte； 〃after twenty years of
devotion； to be treated like the lowest of the low！〃
And rushing to the door； which she slammed after her with violence；
she went away。
Thuillier was not disturbed by this exit。
〃Were you there； Flavie；〃 he asked； 〃when the scene took place？〃
〃No； it happened in Celeste's room。 What did she do to her？〃
〃What I said；raised her hand to her and locked her in like a child。
Celeste may certainly be rather dull…minded； but there are limits that
must not be passed。〃
〃She is not always pleasant； that good Brigitte；〃 said Flavie； 〃she
and I have just had a little set…to。〃
〃Oh； well；〃 said Thuillier； 〃it will all pass off。 I want to tell you；
my dear Flavie； what fine success we have had this morning。 The
'National' quotes two whole paragraphs of an article in which there
were several sentences of mine。〃
Thuillier was again interrupted in the tale of his great political and
literary success；this time by the entrance of Josephine the cook。
〃Can monsieur tell me where to find the key of the great trunk？〃 she
said。
〃What do you want with it？〃 asked Thuillier。
〃Mademoiselle told me to take it to her room。〃
〃What for？〃
〃Mademoiselle must be going to make a journey。 She is getting her
linen out of the drawers； and her gowns are on the bed。〃
〃Another piece of nonsense！〃 said Thuillier。 〃Flavie； go and see what
she has in her head。〃
〃Not I；〃 said Madame Colleville； 〃go yourself。 In her present state of
exasperation she might beat me。〃
〃And my stupid wife； who must needs raise a fuss about the contract！〃
cried Thuillier。 〃She really must have said something pretty sharp to
turn Brigitte off her hinges like this。〃
〃Monsieur has not told me where to find the key；〃 persisted Josephine。
〃I don't know anything about it；〃 said Thuillier； crossly； 〃go and
look for it； or else tell her it is lost。〃
〃Oh； yes！〃 said Josephine； 〃it is likely I'd dare to go and tell her
that。〃
Just then the outer door…bell rang。
〃No doubt that's la Peyrade；〃 said Thuillier； in a tone of
satisfaction。
The Provencal appeared a moment later。
〃Faith； my dear friend；〃 cried Thuillier； 〃it is high time you came；
the house is in revolution； all about you； and it needs your silvery
tongue to bring it back to peace and quietness。〃
Then he related to his assistant editor the circumstances of the civil
war which had broken out。
La Peyrade turned to Madame Colleville。
〃I think；〃 he said； 〃that under the circumstances in which we now
stand there is no impropriety in my asking for an interview of a few
moments with Mademoiselle Colleville。〃
In this the Provencal showed his usual shrewd ability； he saw that in
the mission of pacification thus given to him Celeste Colleville was
the key of the situation。
〃I will send for her； and we will leave you alone together；〃 said
Flavie。
〃My dear Thuillier；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃you must； without any violence；
let Mademoiselle Celeste know that her consent must be given without
further delay； make her think that this was the purpose for which you
have sent for her； then leave us； I will do the rest。〃
The man…servant was sent down to the entresol with orders to tell
Celeste that her godfather wished to speak to her。 As soon as she
appeared； Thuillier said； to carry out the programme which had been
dictated to him：
〃My dear； your mother has told us things that astonish us。 Can it be
true that with your contract almost signed； you have not yet decided
to accept the marriage we have arranged for you？〃
〃Godfather；〃 said Celeste； rather surprised at this abrupt summons； 〃I
think I did not say that to mamma。〃
〃Did you not just now；〃 said Flavie； 〃praise Monsieur Felix Phellion
to me in the most extravagant manner？〃
〃I spoke of Monsieur Phellion as all the world is speaking of him。〃
〃Come； come；〃 said Thuillier； with authority； 〃let us have no
equivocation； do you refuse； yes or no； to marry Monsieur de la
Peyrade？〃
〃Dear； good friend；〃 said la Peyrade； intervening； 〃your way of
putting the question is rather too abrupt； and； in my presence；
especially； it seems to me out of place。 In my position as the most
interested person； will you allow me to have an interview with
mademoiselle； which； indeed； has now become necessary？ This favor I am
sure will not be refused by Madame Colleville。 Under present
circumstances； there can surely be nothing in my request to alarm her
maternal prudence。〃
〃I would certainly yield to it；〃 said Flavie； 〃if I did not fear that
these discussions might seem to open a question which is irrevocably
decided。〃
〃But； my dear madame； I have the strongest desire that Mademoiselle
Celeste shall remain； until the very last moment； the mistress of her
own choice。 I beg you； therefore； to grant my request。〃
〃So be it！〃 said Madame Colleville； 〃you think yourself very clever；
but if you let that girl twist you round her finger； so much the worse
for you。 Come； Thuillier； since we are 'de trop' here。〃
As soon as the pair were alone together； la Peyrade drew up a chair
for Celeste； and took one himself； saying：
〃You will； I venture to believe； do me the justice to say that until
to…day I have never annoyed you with the expression of my sentiments。
I was aware of the inclinations of your heart； and also of the
warnings of your conscience。 I hoped； after a time； to make myself
acceptable as a refuge from those two currents of feeling； but； at the
point which we have now reached； I think it is not either indiscreet
or impatient to ask you to let me know plainly what course you have
decided upon。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 replied Celeste； 〃as you speak to me so kindly and
frankly； I will tell you； what indeed you know already； that； brought
up as I was with Monsieur Felix Phellion； knowing him far longer than
I have known you； the idea of marrying alarmed me less in regard to
him than it would in regard to others。〃
〃At one time； I believe；〃 remarked la Peyrade； 〃you were permitted to
choose him if you wished。〃
〃Yes； but at that time difficulties grew up between us on religious
ideas。〃
〃And to…day those difficulties have disappeared？〃
〃Nearly；〃 replied Celeste。 〃I am accustomed to submit to the judgment
of those who are wiser than myself； monsieur； and you heard yesterday
the manner in which the Abbe Gondrin spoke of Monsieur Phellion。〃
〃God forbid；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃that I should seek to invalidate the
judgment of so excellent a man； but I venture to say to you；
mademoiselle； that there are great differences among the clergy； some
are thought too stern； some far too indulgent； moreover； the Abbe
Gondrin is more of a preacher than a casuist。〃
〃But； Monsieur Felix；〃 said Celeste； eagerly； 〃seems to wish to fulfil
Monsieur l'abbe's hopes of him； for I know that he went to see him
this morning。〃
〃Ah！〃 said la Peyrade； with a touch of irony； 〃so he really decided to
go to Pere Anselme！ But； admitting that on the religious side Monsieur
Phellion may now become all that you expect of him； have you
reflected； mademoiselle； on the great event which h